Smithsonian Journeys has unveiled new itineraries for 2026 and 2027, featuring land-based tours, special solar eclipse trips and small-ship cruises, including on the Mississippi River.
The tour operator is expanding its tour collection, including to the Balkans and Greece. Smithsonian Journeys is also leaning into the astrotourism trend with itineraries dedicated to observing the skies and will offer a river cruise in the U.S.
The brand will debut "Baltics Past and Present: A Journey to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia," an 18-day itinerary launching in May that takes travelers to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. There, travelers will explore historic sites, visit castles and see World Heritage-listed towns.
The "Greek Odyssey: Athens to Corfu" itinerary will bring travelers across Greece in 14 days, where they will visit the birthplace of democracy, the island of Corfu and places like Delphi, known for being an ancient sanctuary in Greece.
Other new itineraries are to Switzerland and the American West.
Tapping into the astrotourism trend, Smithsonian Journeys will offer two itineraries next year dedicated to celestial wonders after seeing a spike in interest in solar eclipse tours.
The brand will offer "Solar Eclipse Over Spain -- Basque Country to León," an eight-day itinerary with one departure date beginning Aug. 8, where travelers will witness the total solar eclipse in northern Spain. Visitors will also explore Madrid and World Heritage sites. This itinerary is already proving to be one of the most popular with travelers, the tour operator said.
"Chile Earth and Sky: A Stargazing Journey from Santiago to the Atacama Desert" will offer two departure dates next year and one departure date in 2027. The 12-day itinerary dives into astronomy in northern Chile, including trips to observatories.
Smithsonian Journeys will launch two new small-ship cruises, one next year and one in 2027.
Smithsonian Journeys and Ponant will offer a joint expedition cruise to the Baja Peninsula next year. Photo Credit: Smithsonian Journeys
"Cruising the Mississippi: A Springtime Voyage from Memphis to New Orleans" will take passengers on a nine-day trip of the Mississippi River on the American Splendor paddlewheeler. Passengers will visit Southern cities, battlefields and plantations.
The "Baja and the Sea of Cortez" itinerary is a joint offering between Smithsonian Journeys and Ponant Exploration. The 2027 expedition cruise on Pnant's Le Bellot will last 11 days, bringing passengers to the Baja Peninsula, where they will watch grey whales, snorkel with sea lions and hike dunes.
The tour operator also revealed its top 10 journeys for 2026, which "reflect an appetite for discovery," the brand said. These popular itineraries are to Japan, Italy, Egypt, Central Asia, Spain, Turkiye, Switzerland, Greece and France.